Feeding Infants Nutrition Services Nebraska Department of Education

Feeding Infants Nutrition Services Nebraska Department of Education 1

Definition of Infant in the CACFP Birth through 11 months Up to the child’s first birthday 2

Infant Meals CACFP Centers caring for infants must offer meals to them. All centers must offer iron-fortified infant formula to infants under one year of age. 3

Feeding Infants Book http: //www. education. ne. gov/ns/CACFP/feeding_infants. pdf 4

Nutrition Services web site http: //www. education. ne. gov/ns Click on Child and Adult Care Food Program 5

Scroll down and click on Infant Feeding 6

Infant Formula Selection Box 7

Infant Formula/Feeding Selection Form 8

Breast Milk • Credited the same as formula • Chapter 3 provides information on handling breast milk 9

CACFP Meal Pattern Birth through 3 months Breakfast Breast Milk or 4 -6 oz Formula Lunch or Supper Breast Milk or 4 -6 oz Formula Snack Breast Milk or 4 -6 oz Formula 10

Reimbursable meals for Birth through 3 months • • Center provided formula Parent provided breast milk Parent provided formula Staff mother breast feeding during work hours • Only exception is when visiting mother (non-staff) breastfeeds infant 11

CACFP Meal Pattern 4 through 7 months Breakfast Lunch or Supper Snack Breast Milk or 4 -8 oz. Formula Breast Milk or 4 -6 oz. Formula 0 -3 Tbsp. Infant Cereal 0 -3 Tbsp. Fruit and/or Vegetable 12

Reimbursable meals for 4 through 7 month olds • • Center provided formula Parent provided breast milk Foods added, as appropriate per infant, provided by Center 13

Reminders Ages 4 -7 months: • 0 -3 T cereal or veg. /fruit means that the meal component is optional dependent on the infant’s needs. • Portion size not listing zero as a measurement indicates the component must be offered, i. e. formula. 14

CACFP Meal Pattern 8 through 11 months Breakfast All 3 components must be offered Lunch or Supper All 3 components must be offered Snack Breast Milk or 6 -8 oz. Formula Breast Milk or 2 -4 oz. Formula 2 -4 Tbsp. Infant Cereal Or 1 -4 Tbsp. Meat Or 2 - 4 oz. Fruit Juice 1 -4 Tbsp. Fruit and/or Vegetable 0 -1/2 Crackers/ Bread 15

Reimbursable meals for 8 through 11 month olds Center must offer meal components with either breast milk or formula 16

Meat Portions for 8 - 11 Month Olds Lunch and Suppers • 1 - 4 tablespoons of meat, poultry, egg yolk, cooked dry beans or peas or • 1/2 - 2 ounces of cheese or • 1 - 4 ounces (volume) of cottage cheese or • 1 - 4 ounces (weight) of cheese food or cheese spread 17

Reminders Ages 8 -11 months: • Breakfast - infant cereal is required to be offered • Lunch & Supper: infant cereal and/or meat/meat alternate must be offered 18

Reminders • Full strength (100%) juice is reimbursable only at snack for 8 through 11 month old infants • Juice must be pasteurized 19

Reimbursement Requirements • • • Infant must be enrolled Infant Formula Selection Form/box must be completed/filled out Infant Meal Record must be completed 20

Reimbursement Requirements • Meal must be offered to all ages • Claim as “Paid” unless IEF is on file • Point of service meal count sheets must be completed 21

Infant Meal Records • Weekly Record One per individual per week OR • Daily Record One per day for multiple infants of the same age group 22

Infant Meal Records • Write in the date, infant’s name, date of birth (DOB) and claim code. • List what food and the amount of food OFFERED at each meal immediately after feeding the child. • Mark the meals on a point-of-service meal sheet (blue & white) – Only infants’ meal counts can be done at the end of the day (from infant meal production records) 23

Iron Fortified Infant Cereal Mix with breast milk or formula – you can mix in fruit Feed with a spoon; not from a bottle 24

Iron Fortified Infant Cereal Not creditable: • Cereal in jars • Infant Cereal with fruit flakes • Regular family breakfast cereals (hot or cold) 25

Vegetables and Fruits • Commercially Prepared • Center Prepared 26

Commercial Fruits and Vegetables • Vegetable or fruit must be listed as first ingredient (no sugar) • Plain vegetables and fruits are preferred 27

Center Prepared Fruits and Vegetables • Texture must be appropriate; usually cooked • Avoid canned vegetables that are high in sodium • Avoid canned or frozen fruits with added sugar 28

Center Prepared Fruits and Vegetables Choking dangers: • Raw vegetables • Corn kernels • Hard fruits: apples, etc. • Whole fruits: grapes, etc. • Uncooked dried fruits 29

Meat and Meat Alternates Eggs • Egg yolks at 8 months • Yolk must be hard cooked • Avoid egg whites until after 1 year. 30

Meat and Meat Alternates Cheese • Introduced at 8 months or older • Natural cheese rather than processed cheese 31

Meat and Meat Alternates Avoid: • Peanut butter, seeds, nuts • Fish and shell fish • Processed meats (chicken nuggets) 32

Meat and Meat Alternates Not creditable: • Fish sticks • Hot dogs • “Baby Food” meat sticks • Commercial or home made: casseroles/combination dinners: Macaroni & cheese, turkey & noodles, spaghetti & meat sauce 33

Grains/Breads Bread or crackers • Strips of dry bread, toast, tortillas • Plain crackers • Teething biscuits 34

Grains/Breads Avoid: • Snacks such as pretzels or chips • Cookies or granola bars • Crackers with seeds, nuts, etc. • Whole kernels, such as rice. 35

Foods to Avoid Sweeteners and Sweetened Foods: • • “Baby Food” Desserts Cakes, cookies, candy Chocolate Added sugar, syrup, etc. 36

Infant Records • Infant meal records must be complete if the meal is to be claimed. • Creditable meals must also be marked on the Record of Meals and Supplement Served forms (meal count sheet). 37

Question A parent mixes cereal and formula in a bottle and brings it to the center. Can we claim this as a creditable formula for a meal? ? 38

Answer A parent mixes cereal and formula in a bottle and brings it to the center. Can we claim this as a creditable formula for a meal? NO. A doctor’s statement is needed to claim formula mixed with cereal in a bottle. 39

Question If a parent wants an infant to have more than three meals during the day, who should furnish the formula for the meals that cannot be claimed? 40

Answer If a parent wants an infant to have more than three meals during the day, who should furnish the formula for the meals that cannot be claimed? The parent because the center is not required to provide formula for more than three meals per infant per day. 41

Question If a parent wants an infant to have only a limited number of bottles/formula, which is less than the infant wants, what are you to do? 42

Answer If a parent wants an infant to have only a limited number of bottles/formula, which is less than the infant wants, what are you to do? Since infants are “fed on demand” and unless there is a medical statement, honor your responsibility to the infant. 43

Question Is yogurt a creditable food for infants? 44

Answer Is yogurt a creditable food for infants? No. Commercially prepared, plain yogurt can be served as an extra to infants 8 months and older, but it is not creditable as a meat/meat alternate. The same would go for mixed dinners. 45

Question Are meals served to a child who just turned one year old reimbursable if they contain infant formula? 46

Answer Are meals served to a child who just turned one year old reimbursable if they contain infant formula? Yes, for a period of one month. After the 13 th month, a doctor’s statement will be needed formula to continue in place of fluid milk. 47

Question If a physician prescribes whole cow’s milk as a substitute for breast milk or formula for an infant under 12 months of age, are meals reimbursable? 48

Answer If a physician prescribes whole cow’s milk as a substitute for breast milk or formula for an infant under 12 months of age, are meals reimbursable? Yes, with a doctor’s statement, the meal pattern can be amended. 49

Question Must all infants be fed during the period identified as meal time on the center agreement with NDE? 50

Answer Must all infants be fed during the period identified as meal time in the center agreement with NDE? No, infants are “fed on demand”. vs. 51

Infant Meal Records 52

Infant Meal Records • Supply all the information as indicated on the top of each form. • Write specific kinds and amounts of food offered to the infant based on meal pattern requirements; i. e. , “ 6 oz. formula”, “ 4 T. plums”, “ 2 T. chicken”. 53

Infant Meal Records • Use in combination with a point of service meal count sheet. • All records must be kept for 4 years 54

Questions? • Please pick up your certificate • Call us at 800 -731 -2233 in Nebraska or 402 -471 -2488 in Lincoln. 55